- As ODF Foundation doles out cash, food items to vulnerable persons during 7th annual empowerment programme
From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
A philanthropist, Mr Opeyemi David Falegan, has called on governments at the different levels in the country to be sensitive to the plights of the poor people.
Falegan who posited that the poverty level in the land is very high, appealed to the federal, state and local governments to reduce the hardships of the masses, particularly, the widows, the aged and other underprivileged people by paying stipends to them on a monthly basis.
Falegan who acknowledged that government alone cannot do everything, lamented that they are not doing enough to ameliorate the hardships of the masses, saying paying them on a monthly basis will go a long way in improving their living conditions as well as give them a sense of belonging.
The philanthropist made the call in Ado- Ekiti, capital of Ekiti State, during his 7th Opeyemi David Falegan(ODF) Foundation annual empowerment programme where over 1,000 widows, aged, the physically challenged and other vulnerable persons as well as market women were presented with cash gifts and food items.
The ODF foundation founder also visited the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital(EKSUTH),Ado -Ekiti and Ile-Abiye Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, to pay the bills of indigent patients, visited market women in Ado/Ikere-Ekiti, distributed free fuel to motorists/motorcyclists and assisted some petty traders to clear their loans from microfinance banks.
“Though, government cannot always do everything but I wish they could do more because there is a huge gap for them to fill in terms of easing the hardship Nigerians are going through. There is so much poverty in the land. The state is only a civil service state with little or no industries that can add to its economic values and make it economically viable.
“What the governments should do to cater for the poor, the widows and the vulnerable persons is to place them on salary, like wages every month. Paying them monthly stipends will go a long way in addressing some of their challenges. It doesn’t need to be huge. Let’s say everyone be given N10,000 monthly. It is what the state and the federal governments can do.”
Speaking on what informed his decision to set up the foundation and help people, Falegan said : “I started the foundation seven years ago after the death of my father, late Chief Ojo Falegan and my mother became a widow. Due to that, my mum became really emotional and very lonely and she always called me for one need or the other. At a point, I thought within myself, that there will be other widows like her out there who may not have children to look after them and I deemed it fit to extend the hands of love to them, that was how I started the Opeyemi David Falegan Foundation.
“Looking at the state and the country, I observed that there is no allocation to the elderly, particularly, the aged women, especially if they haven’t worked in any public or corporate organisation before. I noticed that about eight years ago that was why I thought I can fill that gap in my own little way for them and I will never stop doing it as long as I am living.”
Falegan who hinted that the foundation has been involved in many philanthropic gestures since its inception said the action is born out of his love and interest to help people and it is not politically inclined.
“I have been doing it for the past seven years and I have never ran for any political position or got any political appointment. I have never been in government but I was born to impact lives. It is out of love and the urge to help the people.
“My message to the governments is that, this kind of gesture to our people is highly imperative and it is high time they did more for the people. Because as long as they are not living up to the expectation of the people in terms of welfare of the people, the aged, the widows and other vulnerable persons, they will continue to be on your necks and the people are watching your activities.”
A former Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Olatunji Odeyemi, who spoke with newsmen at the event, described the gesture of the ODF foundation founder as uncommon benevolence.
The former Acting Governor of the state said, “For the hands of love and fellowship he extended to the people, I thank God for his life and for the courage of being able to do this for the people at this hard times which is becoming unbearable for the people.
“Yet he sees it as matter of urgency to organize this programme. I know he will be coughing out millions of naira to put this together and that doesn’t mean he is the richest person among Ekiti indigenes within and outside the country, there are many others who are richer than him but he found it expedient out of his kind heartedness and I commend him for this.”
Odeyemi urged the people of the state, particularly those who have the wherewithal and the government to take a cue from the ODF gesture.
In his remarks, a former Deputy Governor of the state, Prof. Kolapo Olusola Eleka, said Falegan has been able to sustain the programme for years and he should be commended for that adding that God is happy with him.
Eleka said : “I will take a cue from the bible which says that whoever lends to the poor lends to God. So, if you bless the poor, the less privileged, you have blessed God and definitely there is no one that blesses God that will not receive multiple folds back in return.
“The category of people here are those we can say are the kind of people who needed to be taken care of. They are the kind of persons government should also focus on not arbitrarily given out food items and empowering people whether they need it or not. I pray God will continue to help and sustain him. He also will receive God’s mercy.”